Garter



E. O. LOEBAER GARTER Filed Dec. 4, 1934 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE GARTER Trustee Application December 4, 1934, serial No. 755,920

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a garter or hose supporter. kIn devices of this character, of which I have knowledge, provision has been made to support the hose by means of bands .(usually elas- J: tic or spring metal bands) arranged to entirely or partially encircle .theleg above the cali and bound thereto by the spring or resilient characteristic of 'the band material, and to utilize the binding or clamping eiectA oi such bands to not ionly secure them in position on the legindependently of the hose but `by means of verticallyr depending elements to enable the bands tor support the hose. Devices of .this type are objectionable since certain blood arteries extend down 'ithe leg to supply blood to the numerous capillaries therein and from the capillaries the blood returns through the veins. f While normally the pressure of the blood in the arteries is relatively high, its pressure in the veins is relatively small, so that any binding effect is detrimental in stopping the blood circulation in the rear portion of the leg where the artery and veins are located more or less near the surface and is readily sensed by the wearer by a sensation in the entire legor in the gastrocnemius muscle. In more serious' cases, this binding effect has caused varicose veins; in other cases where hardening of the Vartery tissue has set in, this binding eiect has tended to retard the functioning of the artery, thereby accelerating the existing physical condition. In other cases this binding effect has affected'y the gastrocnemius muscle of the leg to the discomfort of the wearer.

One object of the invention is to construct an 35- improvedl garter wherein provision is made to 'engage that portion of the wearers leg which is not or will not be affected thereby and to eliminate all binding on other parts or portions of the leg. '1

Another object of the invention is to provide an'improved garter having a leg engaging member and hose connecting devices so arranged that the `leg engaging member and hose co-act through the connecting devices to hold the mem- 45: ber in position and to support the hose.

- A further object of the invention is to provide an improved garter of simple construction permitting ready application to and removal from the leg of the wearer.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of a human's leg showing in position a garter embodying my invention and supporting a hose.

Fig. la is a section on the line ILL-Ia. of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is substantially a rear view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is a side view ofthe garter (enlarged), parts being broken away.

` Fig. 4 is aplan view.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form, parts being 10 f broken away.

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'iQ-'l of Fig. 6. Figs. 8, 9, 10 and llshow different embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line lZ-IZ of Fig. 11. 15 Inthe drawing, A indicates a humans leg and B indicates a hose thereon. l indicates as an entirety a garter comprising (a) a resilient mem' ber 2 having a front portion 2a shaped to substantially nt the front part of the leg and side 20 portions' 2U arranged to extend loosely around the sides of the leg, to a point slightly rearwardly of an imaginary line a (Fig. l) cutting the largest calf portion ofthe leg and (b) a pair of connectors 3 connected to the member 2 and ex- 25 tending rearwardly in an inclined direction for Ydetachable engagement with the rearwardv portions of the hose, so that the pull or tension of the hose due to the weight of the hose or its tendency to resist stretching co-acts through? the 30l side vportions 2b of the member 2 with the portion 2a to press such latter portion against the adjacent or iront portion of the leg. In this arrangement the pull through the connections 3 on the member 2 is in a rearward direction and 35 as the lower edges of lside portions 2b bearr against the sides of the leg above the larger calf portion thereof, and tend to prevent the rear ends of the member 2 from sliding downwardly, such pull on the portion 2a is substantially in a direc- 40 tion transversely of the leg, thereby lesseningany tendency of the member 2 to slide downwardly on the leg A. Furthermore, a's'th'e connectors 3 are attached to the hose adjacent the rearward portion of the leg (see Fig. 2) and are connected 45 to the side portions 2bslightly rearwardly of the plane indicated by the line a, the connectors tend to ilex the front portion 2a of the member 2 to the shape ofthe front portion of the leg, the effect of which is to further lessen the danger of 50 the member 2 to slide down the leg. It will thus be seen that since the leg engaging member 2v and connectors 3 are flat members having edgewise resistance to deformation and have an angular relation, the latter being inclined rear- 55 wardly, the pull or tension effect required to support the hose is transmitted to that portionV of the member 2 which engages the front part of the leg, to press it in a rearward direction into engagement with such part and by reason of such engagement the member is maintained in its proper position and the hose is supported thereby. In my form-of construction, I provideV two connectors which exert substantially equal tension or pull between spaced portions of the hose and the side portions of the member 2 so that pressure on the latter is substantially transversely of the leg and tendencyto twist or rotateY the member 2 on the leg is avoided. In the preferred arrangement, each connector 3 comprises an elastic section 3a having a main portion extending through a loop V4, its outer end carry-V ing a suitable buckle5 which frictionally engages the main portion to permit of adjustment ofthe effective length of the connector. The' loop 4 carries a depending tab 6 to which is connected a pair of separable elements 1, 1a, of suitable construction adapted to permit 'attachment with the hose. By incorporating elastic sectionsV 3a in the connectors 3, the pull effect or tension between the portion 2a. of the member 2 and the hose B may be varied to insure adequate engagement of the member 2 with the front portion of the leg to hold it inposition'and also support the hose. This adjustment also permits a member 2 of a predetermined Vsize to fit legs Vwhich Vary largely in width or size circumferentially. The

side portions 2b terminate at points slightly'beyond the imaginary line a, so thattheir free ends are spaced widely apart and hence eliminate'entirely danger' of any pressure or binding effect on the rear portion of the leg, such ends preferably being flared outwardly to facilitate the po` sitioning of the member `2 on the leg of the wearer. v Y

The member 2 may be formed of suitable resilient material, including steel, rubber or celluloid and like material. The connectors 3 may be secured to the side portions 2b inany desired manner. Where the member 2 is formed ofa material which does not require a cover, the connectors 3 may be secured to the side portions thereof by suitable metal parts including rivets.

Where the member 2 is formed of rubbencel-V luloid or other molded material, each connectorV may be connected to a clip 3 which has portions embedded'in the material as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Where the resilient member is covered with a single layer of silk or fabric 8 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) or a 'double layer (Fig. 6)', each connector 3 extends in between the side portion 2b and the fabric and is sewed to thelatter as shown at 8a. As shown in Fig. 8, the resilient member, indicated at 2e, may be relatively narrow, if desired, and enclosed in a pocket between layers of fabric 9, the fabric extending upwardly and downwardly beyond the member 2e" and covered by silk Il! or other suitable material. The member 2e is held in the pocket by sewing'the fabric as shownat'ii.' In this arrangement the connector 3 may extend through the cover l0 and in between the layers of fabric 9 and stitched thereto.

Fig. 9 shows a construction in which the re-' silient member comprises a plurality of relatively narrow ilat elements 2 disposed between layers of fabric l2 which are sewed along intermediate lines i3 to form pockets for the members 2', the fabric I2 being preferably covered with silk I4 or other suitable material.

Fig. 10 shows a construction similar to Fig. 9 but in which the elements consist of wires 20:.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that the leg engaging member ts around the front part and sides of the leg to a point slightly rearwardly Yof the transverse imaginary line a with sufiicient pressure to off-set the tendency of 'the front portion 2a to gravitate due to its weight. In this connection it is to be noted that the member 2 is not formed of resilient materia] for the purpose of so clamping or binding the member4 2 that it will support the hose but for the purpose of permitting the member to readily conform to legs ofldiiferent sizes, to permit its ends to be spread in applying and removing the rnemberiand to simplify the construction whereby the terminating ends may yieldingly engage the sidesof theY legs for reasons abovefsetV forth. Such binding as may be incidental to the use of aV resilient member has been found not to be detrimental.V Inthe arrangement herein disclosed Vthe necessary engagementV of the member 2 with the leg'to support the Yhose is at thefrontY part of the leg entirely kremote from those portions containing the arteries and veins. :As the ends 2c are remote from the rearrportion of the "leg, this light pressure is, as I have determined,

harmless. By compensating` for the weight of the portion 2a, it willbe'noted that less pull or tension is required between the hose B and member 2Vto hold the latter in engagement with the leg and this results in relieving discomfort to the wearer. Y

4To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein are Vpurely illustrative and not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

VA garter or hose support comprising a resilient, curvilinear member formed of a relatively thin flat strip of metal shaped to provide a front portion arranged to Yengage the'front portion of the wearers leg and rearwardly. extending side portions the ends of which yieldingly Yengage thel .and that the terminating ends 2c of the portions ,2b vbear'lightly upon the sides of the leg only 

